US Open champion Webb Simpson has formally withdrawn from the Open Championship next week, as expected.

Simpson revealed in the immediate aftermath of his major championship success at Olympic Club that he intended to skip the tournament at Royal Lytham & St Annes in order to ensure he would be at home for the birth of his second child, although he left it until Friday before officially pulling out of the field.

The withdrawal means it will be the second time in five years that the reigning US Open champion has not teed it up at the next major of the year - in 2008 Tiger Woods was ruled out through injury after winning at Torrey Pines on a broken leg.

The Royal & Ancient will not add anyone to the field for the Open unless it drops below 156. Currently 154 players have qualified for next week's event, with two further places up for grabs this weekend.

If there is another withdrawal, American Ben Crane is the first alternate on the R&A list.

After enduring a tricky start to his Manchester United career, perhaps it is fair that Marcos Rojo celebrated so boisterously as he watched his first professional club Estudiantes beat fierce rivals Gimnasia